There are 28 other starting quarterbacks who have a higher passer rating than Sanchez's dismal 69.6 after three games, and two of the three players behind him are rookies. He's completing fewer than half of his pass attempts (49.2) and he's matching touchdowns (5) for turnovers (5).

Despite the 48-point explosion in the Week 1 rout of Buffalo, the Jets are tied for 23rd in scoring offense (20.2 points). They're 28th in total offense, and 26th in passing offense with Sanchez.

Part of it can be attributed to injuries all around his receiving corps. Sanchez's security blanket, tight end Dustin Keller, has been slowed by a hamstring injury and out for all but one reception against the Bills.

Rookie Stephen Hill, who caught two touchdowns in that game, succumbed to the same ailment to miss Sunday's lifeless 34-0 home loss to San Francisco. In the 49ers game, the Jets' most dynamic wide receiver, Santonio Holmes suffered a foot injury.

So with Sanchez struggling to get the ball downfield and no consistent reliable targets left, there's nothing to complement the ground and pound.

Tebow, even when he was on his magical run that lifted to the Denver Broncos to the AFC West title and a playoff victory last season, was maligned as a passer the whole way. But the one thing Tebow did consistently deliver for the Broncos was his decisive power running game.

That brings us to reason No. 2: The Jets' anemic rushing attack.

That was supposed to be the foundation of Tony Sparano's offense. Instead, with shaky blocking and little production from feature back Shonn Greene, the Jets rank 30th in average yards per carry (3.2) and 24th in rushing yards per game (86.5).

The numbers that prove the Jets' offensive ineptitude are evident across the board. But beyond the stats, at 2-2, New York needs some kind of spark to bring its true playoff hopes back to life.

Enter Tebow. Another number to consider—he's rushed the ball only nine times and has the Jets' longest run of the season (22 yards).

Sparano came in as the "Wildcat" guy, with his history of using versatile backfield players in creative ways in Miami. The experiment with Sanchez playing efficiently off the run isn't working, so it's time to break glass on Plan B: Unleash Tebow before it's too late.

Just ask the 2011 Broncos. They hardly used Tebow with Kyle Orton starting the first five games, until they lost four of those games with a mistake-filled, frustrating offense.

Then Tebowmania took over, and they won seven of 11 to surge into the postseason.

The Broncos made their big, successful change after their Week 6 bye. At this rate with Sanchez and their current offense, by the time the Jets return from their bye in Week 10, they will be out of the AFC playoff picture.

The Jets could play it safe and give Sanchez another shot to turn things around. But that won't happen next Monday night when they host undefeated Houston.

Have you seen the way the Texans' swarming 3-4 defense has been playing with J.J. Watt leading the charge? Imagine the ugliness under the lights for a national audience when the Jets flirt with being shut out again.

Sure, Sanchez could do better, but really, from what we know, could Tebow do any worse? At the very least, Tebow's presence will bring a lot of energy to his teammates and plenty of prime-time exuberance to a wild fan base.

Beyond the Texans and a pair of midseason battles with the Patriots, the Jets have many more winnable games with the rest of AFC South, NFC West and AFC East. Those are the type of defensive, low-scoring games that Tebow, with his uncanny ability to make a big pass or run at the critical time, made a habit of winning in Denver.

The Jets should know. They saw one of those plays first hand when Tebow's Broncos helped dash their playoff hopes last November with his relentless, last-minute 20-yard game-winning touchdown run.

That should be enough for Jets coach Rex Ryan, in a seat just as hot as Sanchez's, to reconsider his not quite pro-Tebow stance.

Tebow should no longer be New York's Wildcat wild card. Or its publicity stunt. Or its media darling. Or the jewel of Madison Avenue.

It's time to give him a fair shot to do the job with the Jets that he did so well with the Broncos—as a highly driven athlete, ultra-competitive quarterback and inspiring leader. At this point, Ryan and the Jets have nothing to lose—except more games with Sanchez.